FAQs Receiver feature comparison table Mode-S receiver access options Basic setup - how to link the two programs Accessing SBS1 data via the BaseStation software TCP port - the simplest way! Why is setting the Home Location important with the BaseStation software? Switch settings for The Beast or Transponder Mouse Switch settings for the microADSB Hints for the GNS5890 TV dongles and the RTL090 software

FAQs

• Q: How do I get registrations added to the PlanePlotter database?
  A: Select PlanePlotter...Options...Script...Fetch registration and type database.  This will download the latest basestation.sqb database from the server.
• Q: How do I get  routes added to the PlanePlotter database?
• A: Select PlanePlotter...Options...Script...Fetch flight/route database.  This will download the latest flightroute.sqb database from the server.
• Q: What's the best way to link my SBS-1, SBS-1e or RadarBox to Plane Plotter?
  A: Use TCP access, with the SBS-1 Kinetic BaseStation, or the TCP30003 port with the AirNav RadarBox 2009 software.  More details below.
• Q: My SBS-1 seems to have stopped working.
  A: Don't panic!   Try one of these simple steps first before assuming your box is faulty.  (1) close down and restart the BaseStation software, (2) remove and restore the USB connection, (3) power-off reboot.
• Q: Why does my Beast or Transponder Mouse not work?
  A: Have you checked the switch settings.

Receiver feature comparison table

(Under construction, please advise of any errors to be corrected or features which need to be added).

* = mode-S and mode-A/C cannot be run at the same time on RTL dongles, as they don't support the dual sampling rates required.

Mode-S receiver access options

Bev has kindly prepared the table below which shows the requirements of the different linking schemes and the data type and timeliness obtainable.  

(a) Please note that with the earlier versions of the SBS1 BaseStation software (versions before 1.2.3.145) and of the RadarBox software (version before 3.13) the data will be subject to a 5 minutes delay.

(b) Needed patch prior to BaseStation software V1.2.3.159.

Mlat access as a Master User is possible with either box, or even with none, but you will need an SBS-1 with TCP access to act as a Ground Station which provides Mlat data to others and therefore enjoys free Master User status.

(c) Ian Hind notes: another variation with the SBS-1e is to select in Options/Mode S receiver/Kinetic SBS family/SBS3 direct IP address, and then for the TCP/IP address add port 30006, eg 192.168.0.114:30006.  In I/O for Mode-S/ADS-B select "SBS-1/3 direct TCP".  Advantage is extra data is provided, usefully the assigned altitude as well as the current altitude.  The default access port for SBS-1 is 30003 (same as RadarBox) but that is a simple basic connection - the lowest common denominator.  Port 30006 access for Plane Plotter was introduced around the time of the SBS-3 - it is the direct binary output of the SBS-3.  Then it was published that the SBS-1e/SBS-1er could also provide extra data for Plane Plotter.  It doesn't affect MLAT ability, just increases Plane Plotter functionality, so it's really an improved TCP connection method.

Basic setup - how to link the two programs

This information is extracted from the Help, Tutorial, Using Plane Plotter with the SBS-1 - please read that tutorial for more information. Plane Plotter can access the data in BaseStation in several different ways. If you are interested in positionless data you must use the TCP port method. As many will be interested in your positionless data (please set Plane Plotter to upload this even if you don't use it yourself), please use the TCP port method if at all possible.

Accessing SBS1 data via the BaseStation software TCP port - the simplest way!

This is the simplest way to access the data from the BaseStation software.  It works with the recent versions of the BaseStation software and places no special requirements on the way BaseStation is set up.  This does not require the Ethernet hardware port. There are, however, disadvantages with this simple approach (see below).

To use this method, in Plane Plotter select Options..I/O settings, check the Mode-S/ADS-B option and in the Mode-S selection box at upper right, choose SBS1 TCP.  Start BaseStation running and then start Plane Plotter processing.  The aircraft will start to appear on the Plane Plotter chart.  Please be sure to use BaseStation V1.2.3.159 or later.

Why is setting the Home Location important with the BaseStation software?

Certainly with SBS, the Home Location coordinates aren't normally used in position decoding for aircraft other than those on the ground.  I believe it's the same for RadarBox, but I can't be sure.

The position coordinates returned from aircraft on the ground have 4x the precision of airborne coordinates.  Both types of report locate the aircraft relative to a cell in a repeating grid of either 90nm or 360nm respectively, but the encoding/decoding algorithm for each has two flavours - odd and even - and if at least one report of each flavour is received within a short space of time, it's possible to combine them and get what's referred to as a "globally unambiguous" position fix and opposed to a "locally unambiguous" one.  The other way to fix a position globally with just a single report is to relate it to a known reference position (i.e. the Home Location in the case of SBS).

For some reason, Kinetic took the decision not to do global decoding on ground position reports, even when both odd and even reports have been received, but always to use the Home Location reference point (see Page 36 of the BaseStation Manual).  That's why it's important to set the Home Location as close as possible to the aircraft's position if your setup is capable of picking up aircraft on the ground, so that there isn't a cell boundary between you and the airport.

Information kindly supplied by: Dave Reid, Reading, Berkshire.

Switch settings for The Beast or Transponder Mouse

Recommended switch settings for The Beast as supplied by John Locker and updated by Bev's post.

Please note that Open is sometimes used instead of Off.  The switch itself is marked with the direction for the "On" setting.  "Open" or "Off" is the opposite.

There has been one unconfirmed report that software switching only works if the Switch 3 (or C as it is sometimes referred to) is physically set to ON position.  This requires opening the Transponder Mouse and setting the DIP switch manually.  You may need to be sure this switch is set so that you can provide data for Mlats.  The maker of the box doubts this is required, though.

Günter, the developer of The Beast, notes:

• #3 got a different meaning after firmware 1.30.  It then changes from the AVR to the binary format.  This format consumes just half of the bandwidth on the interface towards the PC.  With frame rates >1000frames/sec and Mode-AC this is strongly recommended.
• #3=ON means you are getting the signal level information, which is not present in the output format that is used with #3=OFF.
• #8=ON always for Plane Plotter, OPEN only in case that your GUI software does not enable hardware handshake (you will then see the red LED next to DIP#10 continuously lit and no output data).
• If not feeding databases and if some few spurious decodes do not matter, switch #9 may be set to OPEN.

The switch settings are detailed here: http://www.modesbeast.com/dip-switches.html

and the LEDs here: http://www.modesbeast.com/led-indicators.html

Switch settings for the microADSB

If your microADSB does not work directly with Plane Plotter, it's worth checking it with the supplied ADSBscope software.  In particular, check that the voltage threshold is set to 100mV (or whatever value works best for your system).  This setting is accessed through the adsbPIC, Uref-offset menu.

Here are the switch settings.  The information given in some earlier documents is incorrect, and there is no need to toggle switch 4 to start the device working with the current version of Plane Plotter.

Once you have your microADSB set up for Mlat, please let Bev know so that he can calibrate it for you.

Hints for the GNS5890

Set the receiver type to "Mode-S/ADS-B", sub-type "AVR receiver".  If you get no response, be sure to check that the baud rate for the port in the Device Manager is set to 115,200, data 8 bit, parity none, stop 1, flow control none.  See message 375 in the self-help microADSB Yahoo group.

TV dongles and the RTL090 software

There is a page of information here, including a pointer to Nic Storey's video about using a USB stick TV receiver as a low-cost front-end for Plane Plotter.  Open the Wiki RTL1090 page.